


Love-Filled Heart

by LadyDrace



Series: Junk Ficlets from Tumblr [131]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek Hale, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Emotional Baggage, Established Relationship, Fluff, Full Shift Werewolves, Introspection, M/M, Mates, No Dialogue, POV Derek Hale, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 05:23:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13070034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDrace/pseuds/LadyDrace
Summary: Derek never thought he'd be allowed to run with his mate like this...





	Love-Filled Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here on Tumblr](http://ladydrace.tumblr.com/post/154449810886/hey-becapim83-i-thought-id-post-this-little).
> 
> Totally posted to AO3 today as a small apology for the notifications I accidentally made happen for old fics. Sorry. :/

It feels selfish, getting this much pleasure from something so simple and primal, but Derek can't help it. Can't help how his heart pounds and his skin shivers from the joy of finally sharing this part of himself with Stiles.

 

It was okay not having it. It was fine. He could have lived the rest of his life without feeling it and been perfectly happy. But now that it's something he can have, he can't help but greedily reach out for it with both hands, clawing for more and more after the first taste.

 

His paws slam against the forest floor, uncaring of making noise, because this is a race. One he'll probably win from sheer size and endurance, but Stiles is right behind him, tongue lolling out of his mouth as he pants happily. He'll probably never feel it as intensely as Derek, not having been born with it, but sharing it now is still more than Derek ever dared hope for, so it's perfect and amazing.

 

He never even let himself have the thought before, because Stiles didn't want it. But given the choice between the bite or death there was no choice, and now they're here. Stiles never does anything half-way, and once it was clear that this was going to be his future he dedicated himself to becoming everything he could be. Up to and including full shift, even though most bitten wolves never even get close to that level of control.

 

But Stiles is not like other betas. Just looking at him will tell anyone that. He's not even really a wolf. He's some kind of wolf/fox hybrid that might be an ancient and extinct species for all Derek knows, but that's unimportant. What's important is that he's matching Derek step for step, happy and content with his circumstances now, after a long time of struggling.

 

Trees whoosh past them as Derek pushes himself to run faster, and Stiles yips behind him, but then retaliates with a burst of speed himself, darting past Derek for a moment before Derek presses ahead again, grinning with all his teeth. Of course his mate would be able to keep up with him. Of _course_ he would.

 

The moon is high and full in the clear, dark sky, making Derek's blood rush through his veins, but it's the smell and sound of Stiles next to him that's keeping his heart pounding harder and harder, until he can almost feel his pulse in his paws as they smack against the ground.

 

They're moving upwards, higher and higher, up the hills until they reach the main plateau overlooking Beacon Hills. The lights twinkle through the trees on Derek's right as he rushes onwards. He's not done yet, he needs to run more. Stiles is right there with him, bounding on gangly legs from side to side on the deer path, playful and bursting with energy like he hasn't since his teens, and Derek drinks it in. He slows down to allow Stiles more room to dart around him, in front and behind, yipping like a puppy, all long limbs and love of life, like any new wolf ought to be. It's right. It's as it should be, and Derek savors it, like he never got to with his other betas before they moved on. But Stiles never moved on from him. Stiles stayed.

 

Derek lets Stiles nip at his heels a few times before barking suddenly, and engaging in his shenanigans, bouncing along with him, knocking their shoulders together hard enough to make Stiles stumble and yip at him again. Derek pants smugly, and darts off, making it only a few heartbeats before Stiles rams ínto his hindquarters, making him roll right off the path and into the bushes. Stiles makes his strange coughing bark sound as he zooms by, and Derek is on him in seconds. They circle the hilltop at least four times, knocking each other off the path, playing tag in the best way, and Derek is drunk on sheer happiness by the time he lets himself flop down in a cloud of pine needles for a rest. Stiles plops down on his butt next to Derek with a huff, as if to mock him for being a weakling, but his own bellowing ribs betray him. He needs a breather too.

 

The woods are never quiet, always full of life even in the dead of night, but tonight all Derek hears is Stiles' heart, fast and steady and _alive_ , strong and ready for more, ready to match Derek step for step. He can't help it, he gets up to run more, run farther and faster. Stiles is right behind him, pushing ahead again and steering them deeper into the woods, into old Hale territory where there's been so much pain. It almost feels like Derek's happiness now is parting an ocean of grief, leaving green buds of hope and prosperity in his wake as he and Stiles shoot past old wards and ley lines, whispering at them with ancient power. Stiles obviously feels it too, running even faster, even though he should definitely be tiring now, but it's like the very forest is fueling them in an endless loop of power feeding into itself over and over.

 

It's as if the air comes alive around them, dancing with fireflies and fairies, runes glowing from old rocks, pulsing with every beat of Derek's love-filled heart. Like he finally has something to give back to the Earth, to the trees, to the old spirits that protected his family for generations. They take his offering and give him power in return. He's a broken alpha, with only his mate left for pack, but he's never felt stronger, never felt more worthy of the title than he does now, with Stiles running next to him, their hearts in sync, shoulders brushing on the narrow paths.

 

They're miles away when they finally slow to to a halt, an old and worn protective rune lighting up weakly as they pass the outer border of Hale territory, Beacon Hills behind them now. Stiles looks over at him, serious but pleased, willing to keep running if Derek needs it.

 

But it's finally time to return. Time to stay. Derek grins wolfily at him and turns around in one movement, rushing back towards the preserve, Stiles hot on his heels. Going home.

 

Finally.

 

End.

 


End file.
